Apple iPhone 6

For years, Apple held onto the smaller 4-inch screen size despite the growing popularity of 5-inch+ Android phones. The release of the iPhone 6 is Apple’s white flag in the small screen department. At 4.7-inches, it might not be as large as many of the flagship Android phones, but reviewers find it to be a huge improvement over previous iPhones. Its 1334×750 resolution gives it a pixel density of 326PPI. As sharp as the display looks on its own, when compared to Full HD screens reviewers noticed text and images lacked some clarity and crispness. That said, they point out the enhanced screen technology and excellent contrast help make up for the lower resolution screen somewhat.

Besides the larger screen, the iPhone 6 has updated its look to a full glass and aluminum construction. While fairly large at 5.4 inches, it is only 0.3 inches thick and, according to reviewers, feels even thinner due to its curved design and softened angles. CNET states, “The new iPhone feels good to hold and beautifully solid…But it also has a slight aura of fragility.” Despite its larger size, experts were still able to handle the phone with one hand easily.

Specs-wise, the iPhone 6 comes with some decent upgrades with an Arm8 dual-core, 1.4GHz processor and 1GB of RAM. Apple claims that the A8 processor gives a 25 percent boost in speed and 50 percent graphics boost over the A7. When put through benchmark tests, the results did show that it was faster than previous processors, but not by a huge margin. In real-life tests, critics also noticed overall improvements in performance from launching and using apps to switching home screens. BGR notes, “The difference is not huge, but it is noticeable and appreciated.” Battery life has also improved from its predecessors and lasted critics around 13 hours of light usage.

In the camera department, there isn’t an upgrade at all in terms of resolution as it still remains at 8MP. Instead, the biggest improvement comes in autofocus. Apple has included a new sensor with Focus Pixels technology that reduces the time the camera needs to focus and take a picture. When put to the test, experts did notice a marked improvement in overall picture taking speed and video recording. The Verge adds, “I move the phone around and it never appears to be focusing, yet everything is always crisp and ready.” Apple has also included additional features such as manual controls, Slow-motion video, cinematic stabilization and time-lapse images. Reviewers also point out that actual photo quality has also improved, though it isn’t a huge upgrade over the iPhone 5s. They add that images are sharp with vibrant colors and low-light images are clearer than those from the 5s.

Critics laud the iPhone 6 as the upgrade and feature boost that Apple needs to compete with Android phones. Stuff.tv says, “It’s a real looker, with an amazingly slim and deeply attractive build…It’s the most powerful iPhone ever…”Techradar adds, “The iPhone 6 is a brilliant phone…if you can forgive the price…[it] should be at the sharp end of your consideration for your next smartphone.”